Great AM dx last night!

[BRNout]

Was tuning around last night and noticed that it was a heck of a good night for am dxing...at least in the mid Atlantic region (I'm about 20 miles west of Philadelphia). Snagged my furthest-ever catch in North America - between about 10:00 and 10:15 pm EST, I caught a few minutes of KOA. No question about it, I heard an ad for Rocky's Auto and a sweeper for "Colorado's News Radio - 850 KOA". It would come in clearly for about 2-3 minutes, fade, then come back. That's about 1,550 air miles! My first catch ever for KOA from the east coast.

Oddly enough, KOA was soon knocked out by WKNR Cleveland - who was covering Ohio State basketball. Then, it was WKNR, loud and clear - even though it was inaudible 15 minutes earlier.

Got lots of Cubans (even RR on 1020, a first) and stations from St. Louis, Chicago and Detroit/Windsor were booming in like locals. Coming in far better than the nearby New York or Baltimore stations. I was using my Sony SW7600GR, though many of the stations were perfectly audible on a standard portable. Interesting evening....

 

[Lawppy]

Last night WAS pretty interesting for AM DX.

Here in southern Michigan, I was DX'ing in the 9:00 hour. The New York stations (WFAN, WOR, WABC...) were pretty much gone, but I was able to hear WGY 810 earlier in the day at 2:00 PM!

Around 9:30, I had probably my best reception ever from WOAI in San Antonio. Heard loud and clear for about two minutes with a Spurs game. While they are a regular catch for me, it never ceases to amaze me how well that signal carries. SA is nearly 1,200 miles from my location.

My only new stations from last night? I heard WCPT 850's sign-off at 7:00 EST and I heard WSLM 1220 from Salem, IN with HS basketball. Both stations within a mere 150-250 mile range. I really wish I could have broken a couple records like you did.

 

[700WLW]

Last night WAS pretty interesting for AM DX.

Here in southern Michigan, I was DX'ing in the 9:00 hour. The New York stations (WFAN, WOR, WABC...) were pretty much gone, but I was able to hear WGY 810 earlier in the day at 2:00 PM!

Around 9:30, I had probably my best reception ever from WOAI in San Antonio. Heard loud and clear for about two minutes with a Spurs game. While they are a regular catch for me, it never ceases to amaze me how well that signal carries. SA is nearly 1,200 miles from my location.

My only new stations from last night? I heard WCPT 850's sign-off at 7:00 EST and I heard WSLM 1220 from Salem, IN with HS basketball. Both stations within a mere 150-250 mile range. I really wish I could have broken a couple records like you did.

BRNout,

Wow - could you tell us, what setup you are using ? I have used a number of digital PLL radios, but really enjoy DXing, with an excellent $10 Sony ICF-S10MK2 analog-tuned, hand-held AM/FM radio. I am in Maryland, and routinely get South to WWL New Orleans, North to Canada, and West to WHO Des Moines. Last night, was exceptional for DXing - I kept getting, some Spanish broadcasting, somewhere South, maybe South America/Caribbean. The best I have done, is KRLD Dallas (1200 air-miles), and have never been able to get KOA. Good catch !

 

[schmave]

I heard KRLD here in Columbus, Ohio about 6 p.m. last Friday, presumably before its mutual protection with WTIC/Hartford kicked in. That's the first time I've ever heard KRLD here, though I have heard further south into Kentucky, Tennessee and the Florida panhandle.

 

[700WLW]

I heard KRLD here in Columbus, Ohio about 6 p.m. last Friday, presumably before its mutual protection with WTIC/Hartford kicked in. That's the first time I've ever heard KRLD here, though I have heard further south into Kentucky, Tennessee and the Florida panhandle.

That's the same thing that happened to me - Hartford faded, for a minute, then I was able to heard KRLD's call-sign. What setup do you use ? I have thought about maybe using a loop-antenna, but to me, that is cheating. It was amazing last night, WBBM Chicago and WSB Atlanta, came in like locals. Scott Sloan WLW Cincinnatti, is a favorite.

 

[BRNout]

Wow - could you tell us, what setup you are using ? I have used a number of digital PLL radios, but really enjoy DXing, with an excellent $10 Sony ICF-S10MK2 analog-tuned, hand-held AM/FM radio. I am in Maryland, and routinely get South to WWL New Orleans, North to Canada, and West to WHO Des Moines. Last night, was exceptional for DXing - I kept getting, some Spanish broadcasting, somewhere South, maybe South America/Caribbean. The best I have done, is KRLD Dallas (1200 air-miles), and have never been able to get KOA. Good catch !

I was simply using the Sony SW7600GR - a short wave radio that has a built-in "synchronous detection" mode that helps to lock in am and SW signals. Great for am reception, I use it more frequently in am mode than for shortwave listening. I do not have an external am antenna, I was simply using the internal ferrite bar. The odd thing is, I initially detected KOA while the radio was about 30 degrees off from the optimum positioning! By turning the radio, it actually came in pretty clearly for a couple of minutes.

Here is a link to Amazon's advert for the radio - it's a great little unit: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-ICF-SW76...r_1/104-1649296-9187158?ie=UTF8&s=electronics

I too have the little Sony transistor radio (ICF-S10MK2) that you referred to. A fun little radio that does fine for its size/cost. But the SW7600GR is better for dxing. Just discovered last night that you can even use the SSB switches (USB/LSB) when in normal mode to pull weak am signals out of the splatter of stronger signals on adjacent frequencies (hope that made sense). Pretty cool! Didn't need to do that to get KOA but it was very helpful to pull Radio Reloj 570 out from local 560 WFIL.

Forgot to mention that your namesake from Cincy was also booming in to PA last night, clearer than the local 50000 watters!

 

[vibe]

While driving last week Wed aft and evening in NC/SC; ywave kicked in early and long DX was all over the dial. Some highlights:
Chicago (the 50 KW's) loud and strong 1 hr before sunset; also WHO 1040 and WBZ 1030. Had 1080 WTIC Hartford shortly before sunset and 1080 Dallas KRLD? shortly after. All kinds of stuff; 620 from Tampa followed by 620 from Milw. Was receiving Canada on 860 and 900 well before sunset.as well as the NYC stations.
What was interesting that the 1st station to kick in was WSB from about 400 mi but reception after sunset was intermittent. Longest reception was 820 Ft. Worth, 1080 Dallas and 1200 San Antonio. I have a log somewhere of this-tough wrting in a dark car) because I tried to get the 5000 and 1000 watt stations as well.
But it was good to see this post because I thought the distances were too far to believe. But they weren't. It's fun stuff when it happens.

 

[schmave]

I heard KRLD here in Columbus, Ohio about 6 p.m. last Friday, presumably before its mutual protection with WTIC/Hartford kicked in. That's the first time I've ever heard KRLD here, though I have heard further south into Kentucky, Tennessee and the Florida panhandle.

That's the same thing that happened to me - Hartford faded, for a minute, then I was able to heard KRLD's call-sign. What setup do you use ? I have thought about maybe using a loop-antenna, but to me, that is cheating. It was amazing last night, WBBM Chicago and WSB Atlanta, came in like locals. Scott Sloan WLW Cincinnatti, is a favorite.

Funny thing you should ask, because I wasn't using any sort of "setup" at all - this was on my car radio in a 2003 Hyundai Accent. I got the idea to try 1080 and it was ALL Dallas. No Hartford whatsoever; I thought they'd at least be fighting back and forth. I was all the more surprised because Friday wasn't a great day weatherwise here; it rained most of the day and the sky was anything but clear.
I tried again several hours later and 1080 was all muddled, likely because the mutual nulls for both stations had kicked in. But that won't stop me from trying again sometime soon.

 

[vibe]

I was surpised too how far KRLD went into territory it thought was TIC. Was at least. 1000 mi from Dallas (by air) from Florence SC when this happened and only about 600 to Hartford for TIC. I do receive KRLD 1080 nightly in Englewood but it is ususally weaker than fast food coffee.